


Touch

by damnhufflepuff



Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, Hurt/Comfort, Recovery, im learning how to tag things here ok sighs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:02:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25736974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/damnhufflepuff/pseuds/damnhufflepuff
Summary: He felt terrible whenever he’d reach out to her, only to find himself stopping half way there, hands shaking like leaves. But he never had to explain to her; she understood and would meet him halfway. Close the distance.Just as she always had.
Relationships: Kirigaya Kazuto | Kirito/Yuuki Asuna | Asuna
Comments: 7
Kudos: 128





	Touch

**Author's Note:**

> more short things with no plot that I wasn't sure how to end WOO

“I almost forgot what it felt like…”

“Hmm?”

The black haired boy turned his head slightly, blinking out of his daze. Fuck, had she been talking to him this whole time? No, he’s sure he would’ve noticed the sound of her voice immediately if she had been. The pair had been sitting in silence for awhile now; the sun has just been setting when the two had settled in. Now it was pitch black, the only light in the room coming from the moon outside the window and a small lamp on the bedside table.

“Physical contact.” The girl clarified, her voice soft, barely above a whisper. Kazuto made an incoherent sound in response, returning his attention to their hands where her gaze was also focused.

They were laying side by side in her hospital bed, shoulders pressed together to squeeze onto the tiny mattress, heads tilted just slightly towards each other. His right arm was raised, crooked at the elbow so that his palm faced towards them. Her left arm was in a similar position, hand turned the opposite direction as she lazily, gingerly traced the outlines on his palm with her delicate fingers.

Her hand was small…so very small. Kazuto winced inwardly as he noticed the slight shaking in her arm. She had had therapy today – both physical and mental – and it always left her drained; though she refused to ever admit it and refused even more so to ever let it show. But he knew. He always knew.

She’d put on a show for the nurses and doctors and by some miracle, they’d fall for it.

Maybe they were just being optimistic.

She had even tried to keep up the facade around him, but of course that didn’t last long. A total of about five minutes, if she remembered correctly. So instead she would hold up the veil of deceit for everyone, and when Kazuto would stick around for a little bit afterwards, she would let go.

“Yeah, it’s pretty different in the real world than…” he started to respond but stopped suddenly, a lump rising in his throat.

“It’s warmer.” Asuna continued after a short beat of silence, continuing to glide her fingertips over his palm, trying to commit every line on his skin to memory but finding it incredibly difficult to concentrate. She was exhausted. She knew he knew it too. But still, she refused to sleep just yet.

Visiting hours had technically ended hours ago, but the doctors and nurses had made an exception for the pair.

_“I think he’s here more than her family…”_

_“I can’t imagine what they’ve been through…”_

_“They seem very close…”_

_“Do you think they almost….ya know…”_

_“I heard he went dove back into another game just to get her.”_

These were only some of the many whispers and mutters they overheard from the hospital staff on a daily basis. Talk about things that were exhausting…

Kazuto had gotten used to it by now, learning to tune it out easily after all his time spent in a different hospital, but he knew it got to Asuna sometimes, wearing on her almost as much as therapy did.

“I had thought the NerveGear had done a great job at replicating the sensations, but…I think that was just from being in there for so long.” She giggled softly and pulled at his heart strings, the corner of his mouth turning up a bit in a faint smile.

“Yeah, they did pretty good, but when you sit down and actually compare the two.”

The pair fell into a comfortable silence again, Asuna still playing with their hands, mostly stroking her fingers along his skin, but every once in awhile she’d clasp his hand in hers or bend his fingers in various ways, seemingly mesmerized.

He’d happily sit there and let her do whatever the fuck she wanted for as long as she wanted to. Part of him also hoped she’d eventually fall asleep doing this though, she certainly needed the rest.

Every so often he’d pull his gaze from their hands and glance over at her face, her pale features glowing in the moonlight from the window behind her.

It had only been about a week, so she was still incredibly thin and pale, her eyes and cheeks sunken into her face, casting shadows that made her look more worse for wear. She seemed so….fragile. Delicate and breakable. Sometimes Kazuto was afraid to touch her, afraid she would shatter beneath his hands – again.

While he had gotten more comfortable with the fact that she wasn’t going to turn to dust if he touched her, there was still a slight hesitation every so often as his heart would jump into his throat and every memory of her turning into blue particles in his arms would flash through his mind. He felt terrible whenever he’d reach out to her, only to find himself stopping half way there, hands shaking like leaves. But he never had to explain to her; she understood and would meet him halfway. Close the distance.

Just as she always had.

Pushing those thoughts back, Kazuto turned his head fully, his nose brushing against her ear, forehead pressed to her temple. “You really should sleep.” he muttered, his warm breath brushing against her skin sending a chill through her, making her shudder visibly and blush deeply as the former Black Swordsman, savior of all in SAO, smirked.

Asuna stuck her tongue out at him which only made his smirk grow wider.

It was then that he noticed she had stopped her exploring of his palm, instead having placed her own palm directly on his, all of his fingers pressed together except for one – her ring finger.

Kazuto brought his own left hand up from where it was resting against his stomach, holding it up alongside her’s and spreading his fingers out. “I know it wasn’t a real object but…it does feel kinda naked now.” He muttered and she let out a short breath in response, hazel eyes glistening.

“Yeah….”

He looked over at her, watching her as she curled her empty fourth finger in slightly.

“Hey, I said I’d get you one in the real world too, didn’t I?” His expression turned into a comforting smile as she glanced at him, cheeks turning a light shade of pink again, but unable to stop the absolutely content smile that spread over her lips.

She fell silent again, her gaze dropping down to the bed sheets. “Will you, um….stay…until I fall asleep….?” If they hadn’t been so close, he might not have even heard her. Kazuto’s soft, gentle smile that he saved specifically for her returned and his fingers curled around her tiny hand.

“‘Course. Where else would I go?” He replied, earning himself another blush from the girl next to him and a wider grin from him. And then her turning slightly onto her side, burying her face against his shirt and finally letting her eyes close, her grasp on his hand tightening as firmly as her strength would allow.

He tilted his head, resting it on top of her own. He couldn’t fall asleep himself, knowing that come morning, her parents could show up at any time. He didn’t exactly want them to find the pair like this…especially her mother.

But….from the way she was snoring softly, he knew Asuna was already out and Kazuto couldn’t help but smile again, sighing softly.

He could stay just a little bit longer.


End file.
